What would you do with inherited jewellery you don't wear?

[certainlycertain]

Four pieces that have mild sentimental value but have been sitting (expensively insured) in our safe for the past decade. DCs and partners don't want it (anti-mined diamonds) and they never knew the great grandparent it was passed down from. My Mum doesn't want it - she inherited it about twenty years ago, never wore it and passed it down to me.

Would you sell it? Keep it in case a DC or partner changes their mind? Have some of it remade into something else I won't wear?

I would (and have) get it reset or sell it.

I'd love to see pics too. I'm amazed to read about all this "hideous" and "dated" jewellery people seem to have laying around.
My view: Fashions come and fashions go, and then they tend to come around again. Jewellery is so small to store, it feels a great shame to be selling or breaking up family pieces when someone along the future line will be thrilled to have them and the stories they carry. Unless you need the money I'd keep them or pass them on to other young relatives if your kids or their kids really don't want them.

Gift it to your DC and then they get a nest egg free from IHT. They can keep it to gain further value or sell it themselves. The diamonds won’t un-mine themselves so ethically I don’t see the problem.

If you sell, you’ll be liable for capital gains tax. Auctioneers will charge a hefty percentage as well.

Dissemble it, melt it and make something new. I make jewellery.

Would you never wear the earrings? Could they be converted into studs? I wear my diamond studs a lot.

I’d sell the rest.

I sold some and bought diamond studs I wear loads.

I had some resized and wear it.

I sold them at auction with Dreweatts in Newbury.
Dreweatts | Auctioneers & Valuers Since 1759 https://share.google/Sgvw9AZCRyg28AhXI
ETA I didn't have them valued first. I just went with the auctioneers guide price.

I've acquired quite a lot of jewellery through my life.

Some of it is the real deal, for want of a better set of words, some is costume jewellery and some is out and out fakes.

There is no way that my oldest (and closest) female relative will wear most of it. Some she will (I intentionally chose my Rolex watch because she said she'd wear it, too) but the rest of it I've made sure she knows which is worth something and which is pretty but financially worthless.

A couple of pieces my will leaves to specific people who I know will wear those pieces. The rest she can do as she wishes, and I've encouraged selling them so others can enjoy.

Many of the expensive pieces have "papers" that prove their provenance and she has those papers.

So, if say sell so someone else can enjoy them

I sold some of my DM and GM gold jewellery at the weekend including wedding rings. Got nearly £2k. I ‘ve had them for ten years and don’t wear gold. I gave the DC a lump sum each for savings to ease any guilt and banked the rest.
DH has his GM jewellery in a box, tons of it. He’s pulled it all out and will now be selling that too.
We have no daughters, sisters, god-daughters. Will probably book another holiday.

My friend was left a diamond ring set with rubies, a wedding ring and some small diamond studs. She had the main diamond and the two earring diamonds made into a three stone ring using the gold from the wedding ring. She traded in the rubies to offset the cost.

I found a ring when we were clearing a great aunt's house a few years ago. Looked like a costume jewellery ring - lots of little green stones and a thin gold band. I got it valued last year - they are emeralds and 18ct gold. About 80 years old. It's now insured and dd is wearing it!

You could have it taken apart, sell the stones and then have the metal made into something for your DC? Signet rings or simple necklaces?

I inherited my mums jewellery, I have kept her wedding ring. Everything else I sold and with the money I bought earrings and a ring I wear daily. I didn’t just want to leave everything in a box never to see the light of day.

And then when you're long gone the people who buy your house get an exciting story of hidden treasure!

Some people just aren't jewellery people.
I've an engagement/wedding and eternity ring that I don't wear due to practically, although I'd never sell these.

But if given jewellery that I don't particularly like and neither do family members I'd not let it sit in a safe until I popped my clogs giving my DC the same dilemma..I'd also sell and buy something I liked be it jewellery or otherwise.

After a family conference where nearly everyone agreed (let's ignore the grabby one who had already benefitted) we donated a boxful of jewellery to our deceased relatives favourite charity.

They were able to raise a good sum of money which our relative would have been delighted with.

I’ve inherited quite a few pieces from my lovely mum - maybe around £8-£10k worth or more? I couldn’t sell it. She never wore it as great big chunky 1970s stuff, so I keep it and have told dd that they’re hers to use for a rainy day or escape fund if she needs it. She won’t mind selling it and I love the idea that my mums stuff will help her gdd.

My Nan left me an art deco ring- gold with sapphire and diamonds. It’s hideous tbh and just sat on a shelf.
Ive hinted so many times that I would like it remodelled to my family but each occasion goes by without it being done! I’m going to get it done myself tbh

What's the best way to go about selling jewellery/ watches etc?

I have a box of inherited stuff, including some gold jewellery, silver spoons, men's watches etc but I have no idea how to ensure that I get a 'fair' price for it?
I'm not sure any of it will be worth an awful lot of money.

There are lots of those pop-up valuation/autioneer companies who come to our town hall occasionally but I always feel they must be a bit of a scam! How do you know if you're being offered a reasonable price?

Harry Winston gets mentioned in Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend!

I’d love to see a pic, OP. I love Art Deco.

I sold my mum’s diamond ring. I couldn’t bring myself to wear it, for many reasons. I part-exchanged it for an aquamarine and diamond dress ring instead.

I had rings that were not my size and the design not to my taste .
Went to an independent jewellers who melted them down and had a new ring made .
I wear it all the time now .

Sell it and use the money for something that makes you happy. I was left a ring which I love, although I don’t wear it often as the stone is big, but it came with instructions to say I could sell it if I didn’t like it!

They sound amazing! If you don’t wear them then sell them.
if I was your DIL I would happily wear them! Surely there’s a difference new buying new mined and second hand mined gems. A blanket ban doesn’t leave much room for nuance.

I agree. And other than something like the weird Victorian mourning jewellery I'm struggling to imagine jewellery which is so hideous, dated or so unfashionable as to be unwearable. I'd guess that around 90% of my jewellery is pre WWI, some is Victorian and a couple of pieces are Georgian.

I suppose I quite often look at modern jewellery posters rave about on here and am unimpressed.

Go to a good auction house - ideally one that has specialist jewellery auctions. They'll give you a value and will help date the jewellery - you don't have to sell anything to them but you'll find out if they're valuable / desirable or not.

Gold is at an all time high at the moment so jewellery is often valued by weight. It helps if you know what carat of gold you have and the weight - 9 ct gold is selling at about £37 a gram. See here:

https://www.hattongardenmetals.com/sell-gold.aspx

The more research you can do, you're less likely to be ripped off